Destiny of Flames
by BLACK WINGS OF THE NIGHT
Summary: Revenge is a single minded obsession that has been fueling a dangerous witch hunter for years. A good witch is a dead one in his mind and will stop at nothing to destroy all in his path. Until he faces one witch that he can't even touch.
1. Chapter 1

_**Destiny of flames**_

chapter one

He rolled a crystal ball in his hand as he waited. He never liked waiting but he had no other choice but to wait. They had to review how his last mission went. The order was rather strict when it came to crap like that. To him it was just another mission and another witch to kill. A dead witch was the best witch in his mind all of them need to be killed, but some of his methods were a bit excessive. His partner was trying to convince the order that he was useful if a bit violent. He didn't have a great history with witches and he wasn't about to be nice to one. He tossed the crystal ball up in the air and caught it with ease as the door to the other room opened. His partner looked a little tired as he sighed out and dropped himself on the chair next to him.

"You're a handful you know that." He muttered as he covered his eyes with his hands. He looked like he had one hell of a fight with The Order.

"Did you get our new assignment?" he asked his partner not really caring what type of hardship he had to go through with The Order. The Order was just a bunch of old farts in his mind. Protecting humanity and what not from things they weren't suppose to know. That's what he and his partner did. Protect humanity from things they didn't see. Never getting one single thanks for all of their work not that he really cared. He was only in it to kill witches for money. iHIHI

His partner had more noble ambitions he wanted to understand how witches work. Where their power came from and if they were really evil, yet every witch they had encountered didn't live long enough to say yay or nay to the question.

"Yes," he started as he pulled a scroll from his coat. He was about to hand it over when he stopped. " But…"

"But what?" he hissed as he took the scroll from him.

"They want this witch alive."

"Bullshit." He muttered as he read through the orders. It was there in black and white and it pissed him off. He shoved the scroll back at his partner as he crossed his arms. "I don't do alive. Tell them to give it to someone else." He hissed

"Sasuke this is the last change the order is giving us."

"I don't do alive, Naruto." He answered again. As Naruto sighed loudly it was impossible to talk to the man once he has set his mind on something but he knew how to get him interested.

"They are paying us four times the amount of a regular hunt." He mentioned as the silence in the room was heavily. For a moment he thought that Sasuke didn't hear him as he just stayed silent.

"Four times?" he said out loud as he looked at Naruto. "Why?" he asked as Naruto knew he had him. He knew it wasn't the money that had gotten his partner attention it was the fact the order was willing to pay so much for one witch alive.

"They believe she's the original. The first witch." He explained.

"That's impossible that would make her over a thousand years old."

"They believe she holds the key to destroying all witches." And just with that sentence Sasuke was on board.

"Alive, huh? This should be interesting." He muttered as he stood up. He shook his cloak and dropped the crystal he had been playing with to the floor. It bounced on the floor before he caught it under his boot. Naruto watched him for a moment almost knowing what he was going to do but hoping he wouldn't do it. He shifted his weight on the crystal and it smashed to pieces. All most like the crystal had feelings it screamed loudly as Naruto covered his ears slightly as energy escaped the orb. The energy made his coat flutter a bit as it died down and then it was gone completely. Naruto really hated when he did that. Every soul he collected he destroyed it made Sasuke a bit more inhuman then the witches they hunt. Ever since that time he forgotten his humanity and just destroyed anything that had to do with witch craft. He didn't care for anything else but that single minded goal, to destroy them all. Naruto sighed it wasn't like he didn't know about his best friends behavior. It was something he knew all too well. The Order liked him because he could get the job done but sometimes he went a little too far and thats were Naruto came in. It was his job to make sure Sasuke stayed in line but his cruel nature was getting out of hand.

"I wish you would stop doing that." Muttered Naruto as he got up. A witch's soul was powerful and could be used for other things but Sasuke did nothing but destroy them when ever he got his hands on one. Sasuke ignored Naruto as his boot crushed what was left of the crystal. He walked out of the room not ever waiting for Naruto who picked himself slowly as he walked over to where the crystal laid broken. He picked up the fragments and looked at it with sadness. His last mission all too fresh in his mind, he cringed as he remember the brutality Sasuke had used to rip the soul out the witch's chest. She pleaded with them to let her live. She claimed over and over that she had a child that needed her but Sasuke didn't listen to her and killed her like he would to any other. What his partner didn't know was that she wasn't lying. After Sasuke left Naruto gave the small modest house a good look and found a pair of light brown eyes looking at him. Horror written all over them as he stepped closer to him.

He moved a couple of things out of the way and found a little boy covered in his own mother's blood. He was sobbing silently as he looked at Naruto almost as if he knew what would happen to him. That boy didn't know how lucky he was that he was found by Naruto than Sasuke. Naruto looked over to the door where Sasuke had left before putting his finger to his lips in a sign to be silent. He took a cloth from his pocket and cleaned the boys face as he silently cried.

"Wait a couple of minutes before you come out. Find someone to protect you." He told him as he pulled out a small pouch with a blue stone in it. "This will shield you from his eyes." He told him as he hand the bag to the boy who only looked at him. He got up and started to walk away when the boy spoke up.

"Why? Why save me?" he questioned. Naruto got a sad look on his face before he answered.

"I knew a boy like you once." He muttered before he walked out of the building to find Sasuke waiting for him outside. He was holding the reins of the horses waiting for him.

"What took you so long?" he growled as he tossed the reins over to Naruto.

"I just wanted a look around." He said slightly tired as he got onto his horse. Sasuke followed suit and mounted his horse. They started down the road when Sasuke stopped almost as if commanded and Naruto looked over to him

"What?" he asked his silent partner.

"We just passed a barrier." He muttered not really sure what was going on. They looked back at the small house they had left behind almost in wonder. The witch had been killed why was their still a barrier around the land? As they pondered the small home exploded in flames. The horses were startled as they buckled back and forth as their riders tried to hold on.

"What the hell?" yelled Naruto as he looked at the infernal in front of him.

"Lets go." Ordered Sasuke as he turned his horse around and passed Naruto. Then the weight of his words came back. Wait a couple of minutes then come out. He had killed the poor boy trying to save him. The weight of that crime was heavy in his chest as he reported to The Order that no one else was in the home when it exploded. He had to explain that it hadn't been Sasuke who set the fire a blaze but that them crossing the barrier had set off the trap. Then came the nagging question as to who set up the barrier to begin with. Magic dissolved after the death of the witch but this one triggered when they left. Which meant someone was trying to hide something. The more he asked questions the more his head hurt. He sighed out loud as he placed the pieces of the orb in his pocket.

The least he could do was honor their memory as a human being they once were by giving them proper rites. Sasuke would call him weak and stupid if he ever found out what he did each time he destroyed a crystal but in a way it would give him a peace of mind.

~Else where~

She heard the scream as she shut her eyes in agony. He had killed another one. The boy didn't know what he was doing but kept bumbling about in the dark. It was going to get him killed one of these days, but at the moment she had more pressing matters. She opened her eyes and looked at the intruders in front of her. They had wondered into her court like unwelcome flies.

"Your defenses are weak!" they crackled as they form balls of energy.

"Its time to end your rule." One of them crackled as they got braver and approached her throne. She smiled at them as she got up, she stood tall as they threw their energy balls at her. They came right at her as she didn't so much as move. The energies exploded as they made contact with something as both witches where sure they had hit their mark. Overconfident about their success they drop their defenses.

"If this is all the power both of you can muster your in for a rude awakening." Both witches looked terrified as the smoke cleared and she was still standing there without a single hair out of place. Overconfident in their abilities they went at her but she didn't move. All she did was look at them like they were roaches that need to be crushed. Before they could even get close to her they where tossed up into the air. They screamed as they tried to get their barring but it felt like the air itself was trying to kill them. She walked down the steps of her throne walked towards an open door way that lead to a balcony.

"It's easy because I didn't put up any defense." She said as the witches struggled to get themselves free. "If you want to kill me you have to be prepared to fight me." She told them as the room seems to get cold. The witches squealed as they started to freeze. "I want you to take a message to your master." She told them. "Tell her that I will not hesitate to kill all her henchmen if she keeps sending them to me." She said as she looked up and found that both witches were already dead. In their place where two frozen statues where they use to be. She then looked over to the doorway again as the statutes fell from their place and smash into pieces beside her. "Stop playing games." She hissed in anger as she looked over the landscape.

Silently behind her two shadows landed. She paid them no mind as they picked up four orbs from the ground. Two of them completely black and the other two bright white. " Destroy the tainted ones and store the pure ones." She ordered as they bowed their heads at her and disappeared. "She sent them out didn't she?" she questioned as a man sitting on the ledge of the balcony answered.

"Looks like it." He answered as he gave a sigh. "They have killed Kuni." He said silently as she closed her eyes.

"Yes I'm aware." She answered. "And the boy?" she questioned as the man on the ledge gave a small smile.

"He's brave he's recovering. He was a little shocked when the guard went to get him but other then that he's fine."

"That's good." She said sounding almost relived. "Any problems?" she asked.

"Just one."

"That is?"

"The house exploded after the hunter passed a barrier neither the guard nor the boy put up." He explained as she stayed silent.

"Very well." She said finally as she walked back to her throne room. "Have everything ready we have a guest coming soon."

"Yes, my lady,"


	2. Hell Hounds

**Hell hounds**

**Chapter Two**

* * *

Betrayal was never something that one could shake off. It wasn't that simple. It was something that buried it's self into your heart and waited until trust would rear its stupid head in before it reminded you how bad it felt. Being betrayed never sits well with anyone. It always gave you that sour taste in you mouth when the person was mentioned. The twist of you gut as you knew deep down that hatred was the only thing you could feel, but can one feel more then hate? Pity perhaps? For the person who would personally slam the door in you face. It was painful to think about it anymore. It was like a wound that wouldn't heal, and each of her action just kept pouring poison into an open wound.

"Your highness?" came a voice to her side. The girl in front of her looked concerned as she looked straight at her.

"Yes what is it?" she asked as she snapped out of her thoughts.

"You had a strange look on your face." She explained as the queen smiled softly.

"I'm sorry I must've worried you."

"You don't have to apologize you highness. It is I who must apologize for my rudeness." She muttered embarrassedly as her white cheeks blush a bright red. The queen gave a soft smile again as she looked around at her surroundings. A white stag come and nuzzled her neck as she smiled at it and pet it on the head.

"I know your worried too." She said softly as she looked over to her lady in waiting. "I'm fine Lady Hinata, just lost in thought. There is no need for you to apologize. How go the preparations?" she asked silently as she went on petting the stag.

"The guards have been made aware of our coming guest, but your really think it wise your highness? To greet the dogs of the order that is?" she asked silently as she fiddled with her hands.

"Would you have me send them away?" she asked as stood up. She was far taller then Lady Hinata. She was tall and lark while lady Hinata was short and plump in the right places. "No, it isn't an option. The order has set it sights on me blindly believe what they want to believe. I might sit on the throne of a kingdom now but in the eyes of the Order I will burn for my crimes. The Order believes in what they can control and I'm an uncontrollable variable. It's only logical to send their dogs to my door." She explained as she touched the branch of a tree. The branch was totally devoid of leaves and flowers. She stroke the bare branch as new life sprang from it. "I will not hide from my enemies lady Hinata that would put my subjects life in danger. They are welcome to storm my gates and I will wait for them alone. The less resistance I put up for them the more lives that can be spared."

"But you can't fight them all, my lady." Said Lady Hinata as she tried to reason with her queen.

"Your right about that I can't fight them all. It would be stupid to try." She said with a smile. "But until my last breath leaves me I will try."

"Let us help you." She tried to plea.

"You help me enough as it is." She told her as she smiled at her making Lady Hinata cry. She walked over to her and brushed her tears away. The droplets turned into diamonds as they hit the floor. "Dry you tears my dear." She told her as Hinata tried to dry the tears that kept falling one after another. "How is the boy?" she asked Hinata as she knew her queen didn't wish to speak of their coming visitors. "I was told he is in your care."

"Aye, he's doing fine. He's a strong boy. For someone so young to see such violent scene I'm surprised he's sane." She muttered as she got courage to tell her queen what the boy had told her. "He also mentioned one the hunters tried to help him." She said as she produced the amulet Naruto had given the boy. "He gave him this and told him it would shield him from his partner's eyes." She explained as she handed the amulet over to the queen.

"A witch hunter with a conscious." She muttered in amusement as she looked at it. As she turned it around she noticed something. "No, a witch hunter with a secret." She said silently.

"A secret your highness?"

"Pay me no mind, I was simply talking to myself. Give the amulet back to the boy."

"But if this can help you…."

"I will not hide." She said as little sternly. She stood tall and looked at Lady Hinata with bright eyes. "I will not cower while they keep suffering thanks to that dog's ignorance." She stated as the tempter around her became icy cold. Hianta cowered slightly at her queen's anger.

"I'm sorry if I've offended her highness." She muttered as she bowed down.

"Rise, we have work to do." She ordered as she walked out of the garden with Lady Hinata following her close behind.

* * *

**~~else where~~**

* * *

They had ridden for about four days straight and they didn't seem to be getting any closer to this unknown godforsaken kingdom. The horses were completely wiped out and so they had no choice but to stop to rest for the day. Sasuke watched as Naruto read over the contract over and over again.

"I don't understand." Muttered Naruto as he ate a piece of bread still reading the contract. "It says here that we'll find this witch in at Raven castle but other then that it doesn't say anything. Nothing about what she looks like besides her age it's all blank."

"Does it matter? We just have to smoke her out." Explained Sasuke as he cut into an apple with his knife.

"It matters." Replied Naruto. "We can't just walk into Raven Castle and announce we're looking for a witch."

"I'm sure the king won't complain about a witch being removed from his court.

"Queen." Corrected Naruto

"Huh?"

"The ruling person is a woman."

"Great.." muttered Sasuke darkly. He didn't like dealing with women from high society they all seem to think it was perfectly okay to flirt with him. Women were annoying that way all ways wanting his attention, besides witch hunting he wasn't interested in anything else.

"Maybe if you flirt with her this might go a lot smoother." Mocked Naruto as Sasuke shot him a glare.

"Over my dead body." He muttered.

"I don't know I've heard rumors about this queen. They say she's quite the elegant beauty."

"Like I care."

"She has a flowers name too."

"Not interested." Answered Sasuke as he throws the apple core at Naruto.

"Well get interested we have to visit her court in order to search her kingdom." Informed Naruto. Sasuke rolled his eyes as he made a hand gustier for Naruto to go on. He never like formalities but it was something they had to do once in a while. "Her name is Queen Sakura. She's been ruling the kingdom since she was child. Her parents died together in a freak carriage accident when she was young. She has a Lady in waiting by the name of Hinata. Lady Hinata comes from a long line of dukes. She is normally around the queen at all times. Their have been more then a few attempts on the queens life. The most recent was about a week ago. Two assassins tried to kill her in her throne room." He commented as Sasuke looked over to him.

"She not very popular is she?" he questioned with a bit of amusement.

"But she is." Muttered Naruto. "She protected but an elite group of assassins, all who flocked to her. She didn't look for them they came to her."

"Elite assassins?"

"The best, some of them I wouldn't want to tangle with."

"What is she hiding?" question Sasuke as Naruto looked over to him.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked as he looked way from his paper over to Sasuke.

"Why have such an elite guard around? Why is someone trying to kill her? If she's so well liked what type of secret is she hiding that someone is willing to kill her for it?"

"Sometime good rulers attract wrong people." Muttered Naruto

"No it's not that." Sasuke responded. " I not sure why but something isn't right in this picture."

"Our job is to hunt down a witch not to play detectives with the queen." Remained Naruto

"You're the one that brought it up."

"Wish I hadn't I didn't think you saw guilty people everywhere you look."

"I never said she was guilty."

"You have the look of a hunter playing with its pray." Remarked Naruto as Sasuke gave a small smirk. "It's remarkable how twisted you are." Muttered Naruto slightly disgusted.

"In the end everyone is guilty of something." Answered Sasuke as he pulled the scroll away from Naruto and kept reading the assignment.

"What are you guilty of?" questioned Naruto as Sasuke slowly turned his head over to him. It was almost in an instant Naruto saw his red eyes flash as he smiled at him.

"Do you really want to know my guilt?" he questioned Naruto almost daring him to question him. Naruto sighed deeply and threw his body against a tree.

"It's impossible talking to you." He muttered angrily.

"Funny, I always thought the same thing about you."

* * *

**~else where~**

* * *

"Master," said a man in the shadows as he bent to his knee and bowed his head down to a women sitting in a dark throne.

"You better bring me good news." She hissed as she picked up his head with her foot. The man lowered his eyes slightly.

"Apologies my lady but the strike team failed." He explained as her face darken before she kicked him square in the face. It sent him sprawling back as she stood up. She picked up her hand making him fly upward. The man struggled to breathe as he grabbed at thin air.

"You dare return to me with that news?" she hissed angrily before she tossed him into a nearby wall. She fisted her hand as he came flying back to were she was standing struggling to breathe. "I gave you a simple order." She yelled at she tossed her hand upward sending him sailing in the roof before she brought her hand down making him slam into the floor. The sound of breaking bones was hard to miss as she relaxed her hand as the man on the floor breathed heavily. He coughed as he spat out blood as he tried to catch his breath. "What is it going to take to kill this bitch?" She hissed as she walked over to her thrown and threw herself on it. Whizzing and hacking blood the man tried to speak.

"We've sent….. the dogs…." He tried to say but kept coughing up blood.

"The dogs? My dogs?" she questioned as she picked up her hand and this time glided the man over to her like he was floating on water. "You've sent my dogs to fetch that bitch?" she questioned as the man floated lightly in front of her.

"They left….four days ago.." he managed to say before promptly passing out. The woman looked at him with disgust before she dropped her hand making him fall straight to the ground.

"Four days ago..." she mused out loud. "Will see how well you fair this time bitch."


End file.
